1. Field of the Invention
Embodiments of the present invention generally relate to operation related data for an application.
2. Description of the Related Art
In computer systems, processing units process data in response to instructions read from memory. The computer's main memory is usually volatile in that the instructions are lost when power is removed and it is this feature which leads to the flexibility of computer systems in that many different program suites may be loaded thereby allowing the computer system to perform many different tasks, usually referred to as “applications”.
Executable instructions are loaded into memory from permanent storage, which may take the form of a local disc drive or a networked drive or an array of drives etc. The time taken for the loading process to be carried out may vary from a few seconds to several minutes depending upon the size of the application. Furthermore, after loading instructions, the computer system may need to perform internal initialisation tasks before being placed in a condition suitable for receiving user input.
The time taken for loading is also increased significantly if additional programs are required, such as those provided by third party vendors and often referred to as “plug-ins”. During the loading process, it is known to display information to users in the form of images and text that have become known as “splash screens”. However, when users are very familiar with a particular application, much of the information conveyed to them in this way is often little interest. Thus, problem exists in terms of making better use of a user's time during the loading and initialisation processes.